Between 10,000 and 12,000 people turned out for the parade, reportedly the largest ever in Summerfest history.

MONSON – With throngs of people lining the sidewalks, many of them decked out in red, white and blue, and a parade streaming down Main Street, it felt like the Fourth of July in Monson again.

Canceled because tornado damage was so extensive last year, Summerfest returned on Wednesday to the joy of residents and non-residents who look forward to the event, held every year around Independence Day.

“This is fantastic after last year,” emcee Frederic F. Warman declared from the judge’s stand. “We missed it.”

Those sentiments were echoed repeatedly throughout the day, from people of all ages.

Summerfest Committee Chairman Stephen P. Slozak estimated that between 10,000 and 12,000 people were in attendance for the parade, which he said was the largest ever in the event’s 33-year history.

“Last year it didn’t feel like the Fourth of July. This has been anticipated for quite some time,” Slozak said.

Summerfest Committee member Peter Matrow led the parade procession in a red car with the Summerfest mascot – “Sunny,” a sun– attached to the roof.

“Everyone say, ‘Hi Sunny!” Matrow shouted from the car. “I can’t hear you!”

Selectmen Edward S. Harrison, Richard Smith and Edward Maia marched, as well as state Sen. Stephen M. Brewer, D-Barre. The Monson Street Angels were the grand marshals.

The scar of the tornado loomed in the background. Its path can still be seen a year later, from the hillside on Ely Road.

The Monson Fire Department, Monson Bellmen and Quaboag Highlanders were represented, as well as area fire departments. Boy and girl scout troops, along with 400 youths from around the country who are in town to help repair tornado- and snowstorm-damaged properties in Monson and beyond, marched. There were stilt walkers with bodies painted gray, fencers and the Dolphins swim team who sprayed the hot crowd with water.

There were classic cars and floats. The First Church of Monson, whose float featured a replica of the church created by Bob Fortier, won second place in the float contest. First place went to CR Levesque Trucking, which used six big rigs to haul letters spelling out “Monson,” and another tractor-trailer to spell “Strong,” the catchphrase that took root after the June 1, 2011 tornado.

Rev. Robert E. Marrone, of the First Church of Monson, was pleased Summerfest was back, and said it was sad not to have it.

“We really need this to be able to celebrate . . . This is a chance for Monson to say we’re here. We’re still here,” Marrone said.

Summerfest Committee member Valerie Bogacz-Beaudoin said she was pleased they were able to put the event back on.

“It’s a good way for people to meet on a happy note,” she said.

Colleen D. Cekovsky towed her children, 4-year-old Brandon and 9-month-old Kinley, in a wagon she festively decorated with a flag, stickers and streamers for the bike and doll carriage parade.

“This was our first year doing it. I thought the kids would enjoy it,” she said.

Her husband, Christopher, also was in the parade, behind the wheel of a 1977 Monte Carlo. Brandon said he liked the fire trucks the best, and also got a “lot of candy,” thrown liberally by the marchers.

“We’re so glad it’s back this year,” Cekovsky said about Summerfest.

Kevin and Becky Hicks also are Summerfest regulars. Their Washington Street home was damaged by the tornado, but not obliterated like five others on their street. They said they like the small-town feel of Summerfest, and said it was nice to see everyone out, enjoying themselves.

Kevin sported a T-shirt about Monson: “250 years strong - Even an F3 can’t break our spirit.”

This is the ninth anvil honoring the Pomeroy family, the third in Western Massachusetts.

Photo by Diane Lederman / The RepublicanA shot of the Pomeroy anvil with members of the 25th Continental reenactors resting during July 4th dedication ceremonies.

SOUTHAMPTON – Ruth Bernier said Pomeroys were everywhere in town - there’s Pomeroy Mountain and Pomeroy Meadow Road.

She read about Lemuel Pomeroy a prominent early resident here who was in the militia, a selectmen, gun maker and innkeeper.

She thought it was time there was a monument here to honor all the Pomeroys and the town’s other early settlers. Having a monument “would bring history to the people.”
The Pomeroy monument was dedicated Wedneday at Conant Park, a ceremony that drew about 75 people including Pomeroys from all over the area.

There are monuments in the shape of an anvil in Northampton and Westhampton and in six other places across the country. There will be many more, said Nancy Maliwesky, director of the Syracuse-based American Pomeroy Historic Genealogical Association.
All are shaped like the kind of anvil used by Medad Pomeroy who left Windsor Conn for Northampton in 1660.

The city needed a blacksmith and officials promised he’d be able to keep his tools and be given land if he stayed long enough and he did.

Photo by Diane Lederman / The RepublicanEarle Brick of Westfield a descendant of the Pomeroys looks for family names at the monument dedication ceremony Wednesday in Southampton.

From there the family spread out all through Western Massachusetts and then westward. There are tens of thousands of Pomeroy descendants all across the country. She said they recently learned of a Pomeroy descendant in Hawaii.

Bernier, who loves history and is an 18th century reenanctor, contacted William Pomeroy in Syracuse whose dream is to place an anvil everywhere Pomeroys lived.

She met him a ceremony in Northampton when the anvil was dedicated there several years ago. William Pomeroy created the American Pomeroy Historic Genealogical Association and pays for the anvils himself. He said he’ll go anywhere there’s interest.

Scott Pomeroy of Hatfield came to the dedication with his three children. His son Seth is named after Gen. Seth Pomeroy who fought in the Battle of Bunker Hill.

Photo by Diane Lederman / The Republican William Pomeroy of Syracuse N.Y. speaks at festivities Wednesday in Southampton at the dedication of the ninth Pomeroy anvil honoring his ancestors. To his right is David Bernier of Southampton, a general with the 25th Continental reenactors.

He’s been researching the family for years and goes back 11 generations to Devon England. All his life he said he has loved guns, fixing them, shooting and collecting. And then he learned about his ancestors, who also were gunsmiths in addition to being blacksmiths. “It’s fascinating, guns have always been in my blood.”

Alma LaFrance, who was Alma Pomeroy, came in from Huntington with two siblings. Growing up on the Pomeroy Farm in Westfield, she said they all had to learn the names of their Pomeroy ancestors. And she said, “We knew it was a good name. You don’t dishonor the name with your behavior.”

It appeared the driver had been going too fast for the wet conditions, said New York State police Sgt. John Maasz.

By SAMANTHA GROSS

NEW YORK – A casino bus careened out of control outside New York City on Wednesday, sending 24 people to the hospital with minor injuries and recalling a collision last year that killed 15 casino-goers just two miles up the road, authorities said.

It appeared the driver had been going too fast for the wet conditions, said New York State police Sgt. John Maasz. The bus company, Star Tag Inc., has received four citations for unsafe driving in the last two years and every recorded inspection resulted in vehicle maintenance violations. Most recently, in May, authorities caught one of its motor coaches going at least 15 miles per hour over the speed limit, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation.

The bus was on an early morning route from Foxwoods Resort Casino in Connecticut to Chinatown in Queens when it struck a center median barrier on Interstate 95 in New Rochelle, veered right over three lanes, then slid about 500 feet along an outer barrier before stopping.

Charges were not immediately filed, pending an investigation, Maasz said. Of the 24 people on board, the driver – who was ejected from the bus – was the most seriously injured. All were sent to hospitals, but none had serious injuries.

The accident happened about two miles south of the site of the March 2011 crash that killed 15 people on a bus bound for New York City’s other Chinatown – the one in Manhattan. At that time, about 30,000 Chinese New Yorkers were boarding discount buses traveling from Chinatown to casinos each week.

The bus involved in Wednesday’s crash served a similar clientele. Many of the passengers were able to communicate with police only through hospital interpreters, Maasz said. Foxwoods lists Star Tag vehicles on an online list of “Asian Buses.”

Messages left for a Foxwoods representative and for Star Tag were not immediately returned.

The crash comes about a month after government safety officials swooped down on more than two dozen curbside bus operations that mostly ferry passengers in the busy East Coast transportation corridor, closing them for safety violations in the largest single federal crackdown on the industry.

The crackdown was prompted by fatal accidents in New Jersey and Virginia last spring and the March 2011 New York crash, in which the bus flipped onto its side and struck a pole.

That crash was probably caused by the driver’s lack of sleep and a bus company that provided too little oversight, according to the National Transportation Safety Board. The driver, Ophadell Williams, was charged with manslaughter and has pleaded not guilty. His attorney has said his client is not responsible for the accident.

Federal regulators shut down the bus operator, World Wide Tours of Greater New York, after that accident.

Associated Press writer Michael Hill in Albany, N.Y., contributed to this report.

Town Planner Linda Leduc said AAH Corp. is proposing to move the entrance closer to the vacant Kentucky Fried Chicken property next door, and add another lane next to the current drive-through lane.

Linda G. Leduc

PALMER - The owner of Dunkin' Donuts on North Main Street is seeking site plan approval from the Planning Board on July 16 to move the entrance to the parking lot and add another lane near the drive-through. The Planning Board will hold a hearing on the request at 7 p.m.

Town Planner Linda G. Leduc said the applicant, AAH Corp., is proposing to move the entrance closer to the vacant Kentucky Fried Chicken property next door, and add another lane next to the current drive-through lane.

Some of the hillside behind the restaurant would be removed to make room for the additional lane. Traffic leaving the property would be funneled to the interior lane, while drive-through traffic would use the outside lane. To leave the property, motorists in the interior lane would have to cross the drive through traffic to exit.

Also that night, the Planning Board will hear a request from Northern Construction Service for site plan approval to construct an office building and parking lot, and renovate the existing building for a business use at its property at 1520 Park St.

Leduc said the company is proposing to remove the batting cages and mini golf course to make room for the 15,000-square-foot building.

The hearings will be held at the Town Building on Main Street.

A 4-year-old boy was pulled from a pool at a Queens home later in the day.

EAST ISLIP, N.Y. – Police say a 21-month-old boy drowned Wednesday after climbing into an above-ground pool in the backyard of his family’s East Islip home on Long Island.

Authorities were called to the home on Laurel Ave around 12:40 p.m. after a family member found Byron McArthur at the bottom of the pool. Police said the child had climbed a ladder to get into the pool. He was taken to Southside Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

A 4-year-old boy was pulled from a pool at a Queens home Wednesday evening around 6 p.m.

Christos Voulkoudis was taken to North Shore University Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

At George Washington’s Mount Vernon estate, one of the most popular Fourth of July attractions was a demonstration of 18th-century ice cream making, one of Washington’s favorite desserts.

Photo by Alex Brandon / Associated PressA re-enactor portraying Gen. George Washington speaks to candidates for naturalization during a naturalization ceremony at George Washington's Mount Vernon estate, Wednesday, in Alexandria, Va.

By MATTHEW BARAKAT

MOUNT VERNON, Va. – George Washington never had air conditioning, but he knew how to keep cool: a mansion with lots of windows elevated on the banks of a wide, rolling river and lots of ice cream, maybe with a little brandy.

It was a little like the old days without electricity Wednesday, as the nation’s capital region celebrated Independence Day the better part of a week into a widespread blackout that left millions of residents sweltering in 90-plus degree heat without air conditioning. Utilities have slowly been restoring service knocked out by a freak storm Friday from the Midwest to the Mid-Atlantic, and at least 26 people have died in the storm or its aftermath.

At George Washington’s Mount Vernon estate, one of the most popular Fourth of July attractions was a demonstration of 18th-century ice cream making, one of Washington’s favorite desserts. Historical interpreters Gail Cassidy and Anette Ahrens showed the crowds how cocoa beans were roasted and ground into a paste for chocolate ice cream, made using ice hauled up in massive blocks from the Potomac River and stored underground to last as long into the summer as possible.

As for beverages, Washington was no stranger to alcohol, enjoying imported Madeira wine from Portugal, distilling his own whiskey and enjoying a fruity brandy cocktail called Cherry Bounce.

Washington was his own architect at Mount Vernon, “and he was very good at it,” said Dennis Pogue, associate director for preservation at Mount Vernon. The piazza, which runs the length of the mansion, is “kind of California living in the 18th century,” Pogue said.

The location, atop a sloping hill along the Potomac, catches cool breezes. Lots of windows and shutters allow for the regulation of sun and wind. And the distinctive cupola on the mansion roof serves as the mansion’s air conditioning unit, funneling hot air out the top and drawing cooler air in at the ground level.

Visitors on Wednesday gathered on the mansion’s back porch, a piazza overlooking the Potomac where breezes rolled through.

“It feels good out here. It’s the same thing we do in Texas,” said Chris Moore of Austin, Texas, sitting with his wife, Dina. The two had come to Virginia to see their son graduate from officer training at The Basic School at Quantico Marine Corps Base.

Moore said he opted for the smaller crowds at Mount Vernon as opposed to the massive Fourth of July Celebration on the National Mall because it afforded a better place to relax and contemplate the founding of the nation, especially since Mount Vernon on Wednesday hosted a naturalization ceremony for 100 new citizens from 47 different countries.

“This place is incredible. It’s just the kind of place that people need to see,” he said, noting the divided nature of the country’s current politics. “We all need to step back and look at where we started.”

Up the river in Washington, President Barack Obama also attended a naturalization ceremony at the White House, this one for active service members from 17 countries. Military families were invited for a barbecue and to watch fireworks on the South Lawn.

Obama said the varied backgrounds of those taking the oath typified America’s long tradition of welcoming immigrants from around the world to its shores.

“Unless you are one of the first Americans, a native American, we are all descended from folks who came from somewhere else,” he said. “The story of immigrants in America isn’t a story of them. It’s a story of us.”

Presumptive GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney has spent most of the week off the campaign trail with his family in in Wolfeboro, N.H., but took time Wednesday to march in the town’s Fourth of July parade.

In New York, about a dozen disabled soldiers – most triple or quadruple amputees – visited ground zero ahead of the usual throng of tourists. The visit was intended to salute service members who survived the post-9/11 wars to become miracles of modern medicine, and to promote two charities raising money for homes custom-built to ease their burdens.

On Coney Island, Joey Chestnut ate his way to a sixth straight win at the Fourth of July hot dog eating contest, tying his personal best in a sweaty, gag-inducing spectacle. The 28-year-old nicknamed “Jaws” scarfed down 68 hot dogs in 10 minutes in the sweltering summer heat to take home $10,000 and the mustard-yellow belt.

The city’s celebration was expected to capped with the Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks show off Manhattan later in the night, with 40,000 aerial shells will be launched from five barges.

Many Americans abandoned their holiday plans after going without power from violent storms that hit Friday across the Mid-Atlantic and Midwest.

Jeanette Oliver had planned to have her relatives over to her Vineland, N.J., home, but the ongoing power outage forced her to change those plans on the fly this week.

“They had been saying most people would have (electrical) service back by Wednesday, but we didn’t want to risk having a big party in a home where you couldn’t turn on the air conditioning, you couldn’t turn on a TV or a computer,” Oliver said outside a supermarket early Wednesday. “Several people in our family are elderly, and you don’t want them suffering with the heat and being uncomfortable.”

Sarah Lenkay and her roommates, who lost power in Columbus, Ohio, Friday evening, didn’t have power back until around midnight Wednesday. They weren’t too excited about the holiday, because the last few days have been so miserable.

“I’m just enjoying the comfort of my home right now, and cleaning and getting things in order,” she said. “So I’m not really doing much. It feels great.”

Associated Press writers Tom Hays and Colleen Long in New York, Bruce Shipkowski in Toms River, N.J., Julie Pace in Washington, Kasie Hunt in Wolfeboro, N.H., and Barbara Rodriguez in Columbus, Ohio, contributed to this report.

A quiet night across the Pioneer Valley, staying hot for the next few days.

Mainly clear skies will dominate overnight, but it remains mild and muggy with lows in the mid-60s. Strong thunderstorms formed over northern New England, but that activity is expected to fizzle out and stay away from western Massachusetts tonight.

After the 4th, we could be faced with another hot stretch of weather across the region. High temperatures stay in the upper-80s for Thursday, followed by 90s for Friday and Saturday ... with humidity a bit on the high side. A cold front will be coming into the region Saturday night, which will bring a quick chance of rain showers and thunderstorms Saturday evening ... followed by a refreshing cool down for early next week.

Wednesday night: Skies clearing, mild and muggy, low 64.

Thursday: Mostly sunny, hot, high 88.

Friday: Mostly sunny, hot and humid, high 90.

Saturday: Hazy, hot, and humid, a few late-day showers and thunderstorms, high 92.

One observor said the fireworks are the best in the area.

SPRINGFIELD – An estimated 100,000 people attended the Springfield Fourth of July fireworks, which were shot off from the Memorial Bridge, said Judith A. Matt, president of Spirit of Springfield, which organizes the event.

People gathered throughout Springfield for the fireworks and lined the Connecticut River in Springfield and West Springfield to watch.

The fireworks went off shortly after 9:30 p.m., but people started gathering at the park as early as 11 a.m. The fireworks, which cost an estimated $60,000, were funded through business sponsors.

At least five hours before fireworks exploded over the Connecticut River in Springfield, Vanessa Williams of Springfield staked out the ideal spot to watch them.

“I’m going to enjoy this Fourth like I did back in the day,” she said.

Williams and a friend, Cindy Nadal of Springfield, found a shady spot at Riverfront Park’s Festival Field and reminisced about watching the fireworks as children. Nadal said she came every year with her father and then later always brought her children.

Williams said she grew up playing in the park and always watched the fireworks as a child, but had not been in years. She said she liked the improvements made to the park that restored it to what she remembered as a child.

They were among thousands who celebrated the Fourth of July across Western Massachusetts with parades, fireworks and a swearing-in ceremony for new citizens.

For those who came early, there was food and drinks, and Dan Kane’s Rising Stars youth choir entertained for two hours before the fireworks.

Angela Vazquez of Agawam, came at least six hours early with a group of 15 friends from West Springfield, Westfield and Agawam.

“We watch from the same spot every year. We have been coming for at least eight years,” Vazquez said, explaining the early arrival allows them to claim an ideal viewing spot and a good parking place.

Joey Pesce, of Westfield, who is one of the group of adults and children, said Springfield’s fireworks are always the best so it is worth coming to watch them.

“They are usually great. They are better than Westfield’s,” she said.

The friends claimed a spot in the sun but sought relief in nearby shade as temperatures climbed into the 90s. Predicted thunderstorms never materialized.

LuWanda Cheney and Todd Valiant said they drove from Ware because they like seeing the fireworks reflecting off the river. They came early and set up chairs in the shade.

“We do it every year. We bring snacks and cold drinks and make a day of it. Part of it is the parking, Cheney said.

Police reported heavy traffic as people poured into Springfield for the fireworks, but there were few problems.

Meanwhite in Boston, people attending the Boston Pops fireworks show along the Charles River Esplanade had to be temporarily evacuated because of a severe storm.

WBZ-TV reported that an announcement was made during the show Wednesday night telling the crowd to seek shelter. They were taken into the nearby Storrow Drive tunnel to wait out the storm.

The show was stopped just before the Boston Pops began performing the 1812 Overture. State police said they expected the delay to last about 30 minutes.

Material from the Associated Press was used in this report.

State police took the crowd into the Storrow Drive tunnels for shelter.

File Michael Dwyer / Associated PressKaye Tuckerman, center, performs with Jennifer Swiderski, left, and Mary Callanan during the Boston Pops Fourth of July concert rehearsal at the Hatch Shell on the Esplanade in Boston, Tuesday. Wednesday night's concert had to be briefly suspended due to the threat of severe weather.

BOSTON – Concertgoers returned to the Boston Pops show along the Charles River Esplanade Wednesday night after it was briefly delayed because of the threat of a severe storm.

WBZ-TV, Channel 4, in Boston reported that the Fourth of July concert resumed at about 10 p.m. after the storm missed the city.

An announcement was made during the show telling the crowd to seek shelter. State police took them into the Storrow Drive tunnels.

Police say there were no injuries or arrests during the evacuation.

The show featured performances by the Boston Pops, Dropkick Murphys, Jennifer Hudson and the US Navy Sea Chanters.

First proposed as a theory in the 1960s, the maddeningly elusive Higgs had been hunted by at least 2 generations of physicists who believed it would help shape our understanding of how the universe began.

Associated PressThis image provided by CERN shows a real CMS proton-proton collision in which 4 high energy electrons (green lines and red towers) are observed. The event shows characteristics expected from the decay of a Higgs boson but is also consistent with background Standard Model physics processes. To cheers and standing ovations, scientists at the world's biggest atom smasher claimed the discovery of a new subatomic particle Wednesday July 4, 2012, calling it "consistent" with the long-sought Higgs boson — popularly known as the "God particle" — that helps explain what gives all matter in the universe size and shape. (AP Photo/CERN)

By JOHN HEILPRIN

GENEVA — Scientists at the world's biggest atom smasher hailed the discovery of "the missing cornerstone of physics" Wednesday, cheering the apparent end of a decades-long quest for a new subatomic particle called the Higgs boson, or "God particle," which could help explain why all matter has mass and crack open a new realm of subatomic science.

First proposed as a theory in the 1960s, the maddeningly elusive Higgs had been hunted by at least two generations of physicists who believed it would help shape our understanding of how the universe began and how its most elemental pieces fit together.

As the highly technical findings were announced by two independent teams involving more than 5,000 researchers, the usually sedate corridors of the European Center for Nuclear Research, or CERN, erupted in frequent applause and standing ovations. Physicists who spent their careers in pursuit of the particle shed tears.

The new particle appears to share many of the same qualities as the one predicted by Scottish physicist Peter Higgs and others and is perhaps the biggest accomplishment at CERN since its founding in 1954 outside Geneva along the Swiss-French border.

Rolf Heuer, director of CERN, said the newly discovered particle is a boson, but he stopped just shy of claiming outright that it is the Higgs boson itself — an extremely fine distinction.

"As a layman, I think we did it," he told the elated crowd. "We have a discovery. We have observed a new particle that is consistent with a Higgs boson."

The Higgs, which until now had been purely theoretical, is regarded as key to understanding why matter has mass, which combines with gravity to give all objects weight.

The idea is much like gravity and Isaac Newton's early theories. Gravity was there all the time before Newton explained it. The Higgs boson was believed to be there, too. And now that scientists have actually seen something much like it, they can put that knowledge to further use.

The center's atom smasher, the $10 billion Large Hadron Collider, sends protons whizzing around a circular 27-kilometer (17-mile) underground tunnel at nearly the speed of light to create high-energy collisions. The aftermath of those impacts can offer clues about dark matter, antimatter and the creation of the universe, which many theorize occurred in a massive explosion known as the Big Bang.

Most of the particles that result from the collisions exist for only the smallest fractions of a second. But finding a Higgs-like boson was one of the biggest challenges in physics: Out of some 500 trillion collisions, just several dozen produced "events" with significant data, said Joe Incandela of the University of California at Santa Barbara, leader of the team known as CMS, with 2,100 scientists.

Associated PressParticipants applaud after a results presentation during a scientific seminar to deliver the latest update in the search for the Higgs boson at the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) in Meyrin near Geneva July 4, 2012. The head of the world's biggest atom smasher is claiming discovery of a new particle that he says is consistent with the long-sought Higgs boson known popularly as the "God particle" which is believed to give all matter in the universe size and shape. (AP Photo/Denis Balibouse, Pool)

Each of the teams confirmed Wednesday that they had "observed" a new subatomic particle — a boson. Heuer said the discovery was "most probably a Higgs boson, but we have to find out what kind of Higgs boson it is." He referred to the discovery as a missing cornerstone of science.

As the leaders of the two teams presented their evidence, applause punctuated their talks.

"Thanks, nature!" joked Fabiola Gianotti, the Italian physicist who heads the team called ATLAS, with 3,000 scientists, drawing laughter from the crowd.

Later, she told reporters that the standard model of physics is still incomplete because "the dream is to find an ultimate theory that explains everything. We are far from that."

Incandela said it was too soon to say definitively whether the particle was exactly the same as envisioned by Higgs and others, who proposed the existence of an energy field where all particles interact with a key particle, the Higgs boson.

Higgs, who was invited to be in the audience, said Wednesday's discovery appears to be close to what he predicted.

"It is an incredible thing that it has happened in my lifetime," he said, calling the discovery a huge achievement for the proton-smashing collider.

Outside CERN, the announcement seemed to ricochet around the world with some of the speed and energy of the particle itself.

In an interview with the BBC, the world's most famous physicist, Stephen Hawking, said Higgs deserved the Nobel Prize. Hawking said he had placed a wager with another scientist that the Higgs boson would never be found.

"It seems I have just lost $100," he said.

Marc Sher, a professor of physics at William & Mary College, said most observers concluded in December that the Higgs boson would soon be discovered, but he was "still somewhat stunned by the results."

The phrase "God particle" was coined by Nobel Prize-winning physicist Leon Lederman, but it's used mostly by laymen as an easier way of explaining the theory.

Wednesday's celebration was mainly for researchers who explore the deepest, most esoteric levels of particle science. But the particle-hunting effort has paid off in other ways for non-scientists, including contributing to the development of the World Wide Web.

CERN scientists used the early Web to exchange information, and the vast computing power needed to crunch all of the data produced by the atom smasher also boosted development of cloud computing, which is now making its way into mainstream services.

Advances in solar energy, medical imaging and proton therapy used in the fight against cancer have also resulted from the work of particle physicists at CERN and elsewhere.

The last undiscovered piece of the standard model of physics could be a variant of the Higgs that was predicted or something else that entirely changes the way scientists think about how matter is formed, Incandela said.

"This boson is a very profound thing we have found," he said. "We're reaching into the fabric of the universe in a way we never have done before. We've kind of completed one particle's story. ... Now we're way out on the edge of exploration."

The discovery is so fundamental to the laws of nature, Incandela said, that it could spawn a new era of technology and development in the same way that Newton's laws of gravity led to basic equations of mechanics that made the industrial revolution possible.

"This is so far out on a limb, I have no idea where it will be applied," he added. "We're talking about something we have no idea what the implications are and may not be directly applied for centuries."

A 39-year-old man hiking in the Purgatory Chasm State Reservation in Sutton fell from the top of an 80-foot cliff.

File photo | Associated PressHikers are seen making their way down the rocky trail through Purgatory Chasm State Park in Sutton. The central Massachusetts park is a favorite with hikers, rock climbers and geologists. (AP Photo/Worcester Telegram Gazette, Mark C. Ide)

SUTTON — A 39-year-old man hiking in the Purgatory Chasm State Reservation in south-central Massachusetts has fallen to his death.

Matthew M. Felts of Uxbridge was pronounced dead at the bottom of the chasm Wednesday afternoon. The Worcester County District Attorney's Office says a preliminary investigation determined that Felts fell from the top of an 80-foot cliff. He apparently was alone at the time.

The incident remains under investigation.

File photo | Associated PressHikers are seen making their way down the rocky trail through Purgatory Chasm State Park in Sutton. The central Massachusettts park is a favorite with hikers, rock climbers and geologists. (AP Photo/Worcester Telegram Gazette, Mark C. Ide)

For nearly 15 years, Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney's financial portfolio has included an offshore company that remained invisible to voters as his political star rose.

These were the most-read stories on MassLive.com yesterday. If you missed any of them, click on the links to read them now. The most viewed photo gallery was the East Longmeadow Fourth of July parade, seen at right.

1) Worcester police: Man killed after being shot in head while watching fireworks display [Conor Berry]

2) Holyoke Mayor Alex Morse terminates employment of personnel director Adam Pudelko; reason not clear [Mike Plaisance]

3) Assets offshore hint at larger Mitt Romney wealth [Associated Press]

4) Springfield police seeking driver who flashed gun, assaulted multiple parties [Conor Berry]

5) July 4th news links: Storm prediction forces fireworks cancellations, finding of human toes may lead to homicide probe and more [Dwight Shepard]

Bagram Air Field handles the shipment of troops and material into and out of Afghanistan.

Photo by Raymond Geoffroy / United States Air ForceSenior Airman Robert Taylor (front), 455th Expeditionary Aerial Port Squadron Passenger Services representative and Tech. Sgt Nicholas Hotham (back), 455th Expeditionary Passenger Services Line supervisor, maneuver a cargo pallet aboard U.S. Air C-17 Globemaster III at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, last month.

By VERNON CUNNINGHAM
United States Air Force

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan – Equipment, personnel or life-saving supplies; if the military needs it, they will move it.

The “port dawgs” of the 455th Expeditionary Aerial Port Squadron, which includes Air Reservists from Westover’s 439th Airlift Wing in Chicopee, Mass., coordinate the delivery of assets from the U.S. to Bagram, and from Bagram to the forward operating bases across the region.

Bagram is one of the busiest active taxiways in the world. The aerial port squadron supports this tempo by staying operational 24 hours a day, seven days a week. They handle an average of more than 100 missions per day.

“The thing I like most about what I do is knowing the fact that every person and piece of cargo I load on an aircraft is going further down the line to complete the mission we are here for, and that I get to send everyone in Afghanistan home to their families,” said Senior Airman David Boido, of West Springfield, Mass., one of the Westover Reservists on duty here. “I meet many different people with different missions and different stories. The cargo that we load is all the supplies that everyone across the wire and in remote locations need in order to survive and complete their missions safely.”

A 2007 graduate of West Springfield High School, Boido has been in the military for four years. His fellow Westover Reservists on duty at Bagram include Master Sgts. Richard Bloxham, of Forest City, Pa., Patrick Overly, of Albany, N.Y., and William Hamm, of Williamsville, Vt. All are members of the 58th Aerial Port Squadron at the Chicopee base.

Photo by Raymond Geoffroy / United States Air ForceTech. Sgt. Randy Owens, Ramp Services load team chief, directs Staff Sgt. Brigitta Horton, Ramp Services operations specialist, as she drives a 10K front-loader to maneuver cargo pallets at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan last month. Personnel with 455 EAPS process more than one million pounds of cargo every day in support of U.S. and Coalition forces operating in Afghanistan.

“The airfield is why we are here, said Bloxham, who is serving as superintendent of the Bagram air terminal operations center. “Whether it be the A-10 (attack jet) supporting the troops in combat or us getting the bombs, bullets, food, and water to those who are at the (forward operating base). If they don’t sleep then we don’t sleep. That’s how it works.”

Bloxham and his personnel are responsible for monitoring the schedules of all aircraft coming in and going out. They monitor the loads that go on and off the planes and oversee the passenger terminal mission.

With such a swift flow of operations, the “port dawgs” on the airfield’s ramp adopted a philosophy that allows them to maintain the high tempo, keep 100 percent accountability of all cargo coming in and going out, and ensure the safety of all personnel.

“Slow is fast,” said Overly, who is the ramp services superintendent. “We have an excellent safety guideline that we follow and uphold. We want everyone to go back home safely. We take it upon ourselves that everyone meets mission capability, but in a safe manner.”

Overly said everyone in the unit is constantly aware that moving cargo is a vital effort in supporting the war in Afghanistan. “When it comes to ammunition, food, water, and medical supplies, someone’s life may depend on whether or not we can get it out the door in time,” said Overly.

Some items shipped in Afghanistan require specific processes, which is where the special handling team comes in.

“Special handling takes care of the hazardous cargo, blood shipments, ammo and explosives, rolling stock, and vehicles,” said Hamm, special handling superintendent. “There are places that require those items right away. The people in the aerial port know that, and key into it.” 

This story was written by Tech. Sgt. Vernon Cunningham with the Air Force’s 455th Air Expeditionary Wing public affairs unit. 

Photographs accompanying this story are by Air Force Capt. Raymond Geoffroy, of Amherst, who is serving as public affairs officer for the 455th Air Expeditionary Wing. 

Another toasty summer day with mostly sunny skies

Mostly sunny skies are expected to be with us all day long across the region today. A frontal system passed through the region (responsible for those isolated thunderstorms in southern New England yesterday), which will drop the temperatures just a degree or two today, and the humidity will not be quite as oppressive this afternoon.

We could be faced with a mini-heat wave across the region. High temperatures hit the lower-90s for Friday and Saturday ... with humidity a bit on the high side (90 degrees may be possible for Westfield and Bradley Int'l this afternoon, which would put those locations under an official heat wave...3 straight 90-degree days...although most places across western Massachusetts will come up a little shy).

A cold front will be coming into the region Saturday night, which will bring a quick chance of rain showers and thunderstorms Saturday evening ... followed by a refreshing cool down for early next week.

Thursday: Mostly sunny, hot, high 88.

Thursday night: Partly cloudy, low 62.

Friday: Mostly sunny, hot and humid, high 90.

Saturday: Hazy, hot, and humid, a few late-day showers and thunderstorms, high 92.

Volunteers from several environmental agencies monitor the rivers for E. coli at more than 30 places, from Barton’s Cove in Gill to Pyncheon Point Park in Agawam, once a week throughout the summer.

File photo by Dave Roback / The RepubclianA new Website monitors bacteria levels in the Connecticut River and its tributaries for swimmers and others.

SPRINGFIELD – Just as people can check the weather report to see if they will need an umbrella or a warm jacket, now they can check a new website to see whether it’s safe to go into the water.

The site, www.ConnecticutRiver.us, tells users how much bacteria is in the Connecticut River and its tributaries – and whether it’s enough to affect their plans to go swimming or boating.

Bacteria levels change, said Anne Capra, principal planner at the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission, which partnered with the Connecticut River Watershed Council to develop the new site.

For example, said Capra, bacteria levels are usually highest after a storm. That’s because sewers can overflow and, although most of them don’t, all kinds of contaminants can get swept up in the general runoff.

Capra calls it the “first flush,” and advises staying out of the water for 24-48 hours after a storm.

Volunteers from several environmental agencies monitor the rivers for E. coli at more than 30 places, from Barton’s Cove in Gill to Pyncheon Point Park in Agawam, once a week throughout the summer, and results get posted on the site.

Capra said that if E.coli is in the water, other bacteria will be there, too.

The monitoring program is not new. It’s been going on for five years, and results were posted previously on a University of Massachusetts website.

But Capra said she wanted to make the information easier for lay readers to understand.

As a result, when a visitor to the Website clicks on “Current Water Quality Data,” he may see that a certain spot contains fewer than 235 cfu (colony forming units) of E.coli, but he will also see a blue balloon.

The blue balloon means the spot is safe for swimming and boating. A yellow balloon means it’s only safe for boating. A red balloon means it’s not safe for either.

People who don’t know a cfu from a ufo can go straight for the balloons. “That’s why we designed it that way,” said Capra. “You don’t have to be a scientist.”

How can the water be unhealthy for boaters? People get sprayed, said Capra, or they wade into the water to get the boat off and on the shore, so if bacteria levels are high enough, there’s trouble.

Among the possible results: stomach pains, rashes, breathing problems and diarrhea.

Bacteria monitoring is only one aspect of the new Website, which is full of maps and other information about river-related recreation. Indeed, germs or no germs, the Website celebrates New England’s great American Heritage River and its tributaries.

The occupants of the other vehicle were reportedly not injured.

File photo

PALMER - A 28-year-old woman lost her life on Route 32 Wednesday night when the motorcycle she was riding collided head-on with a vehicle.

The accident occurred in the area of Thorndike Mills and police told WWLP that the occupants of the other vehicle were not injured. So far, no charges have been filed.

Police have yet to release the name of the victim.

Police Sgt. Christopher Burns told WWLP that speed was not a factor in the crash and that the woman was wearing her helmet.

Police closed a section of the roadway, also known as Ware Street, for about four hours

State police are assisting in the investigation.

At least for the time being, it is likely that the passenger platform at the former Union Station on Pleasant Street will again fill that function when the train begins passing through.

File photo by Michael Gordon / The RepublicanU.S. Rep. John Olver stands outside the new transit center that bears his name in Greenfield in May.

NORTHAMPTON – With a number of decisions about the city’s future as a stop on the railroad line, Mayor David J. Narkewicz has appointed a Passenger Rail Advisory Committee.

The eight-member committee includes representatives of the neighborhoods through which the passenger rail line will pass. The $73 million federal Knowledge Corridor Passenger Rail project will reroute and improve the passenger rail line from linking New Haven, Conn., and points south with Brattleboro, Vt. The new line will run through Northampton and Greenfield, which recently unveiled a state-of-the-art multi-modal transportation center along the route. Service is expected to begin in 2013.

With work already beginning on the line further to the north, Narkewicz said he felt it important to have an advisory committee in place. Its first scheduled meeting is July 9 at 7 p.m. in Council Chambers. Narkewicz expects representatives of the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission and the state Department of Transportation to be on hand to update the committee and the public about the project.

“The committee will be a sounding board for that information,” he said.

At least for the time being, it is likely that the passenger platform at the former Union Station on Pleasant Street will again fill that function when the train begins passing through. The building had housed a restaurant until recently.

The advisory committee will be involved should the city begin looking for a site for a multi-modal center that would include train and bus service. In May, officials unveiled the $15.1 million John W. Olver Transit Center in Greenfield, which sits alongside the tracks that will be used for the passenger line. Olver helped secure federal money to pay for most of that project.

The comedian announced Thursday that he'll debut the Web series "Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee" on July 19.

FILE - This Oct. 24, 2011 file photo shows comedian Jerry Seinfeld attending "Lincoln Center Presents: An Evening With Ralph Lauren" at Alice Tully Hall in New York. Seinfeld announced Thursday, July 5, 2012, that he'll debut the Web series “Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee” on July 19. The interview show will feature Seinfeld's comedian friends as guests. In a teaser video, Seinfeld is shown driving various vintage cars with Larry David, Ricky Gervais, Michael Richards, Alec Baldwin and others. The show is presented by Crackle, the digital network owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment. (AP Photo/Evan Agostini, file)

NEW YORK (AP) — Jerry Seinfeld is going back on the road.

The comedian announced Thursday that he'll debut the Web series "Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee" on July 19. The interview show will feature Seinfeld's comedian friends as guests.

In a teaser video, Seinfeld is shown driving various vintage cars with Larry David, Ricky Gervais, Michael Richards, Alec Baldwin and others.

The show is presented by Crackle, the digital network owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment.

Recent projects by the 58-year-old Seinfeld include producing the NBC panel-style reality TV series "The Marriage Ref" and directing Colin Quinn's Broadway show "Long Story Short."

___

Online: http://comediansincarsgettingcoffee.com

Authorities say a 48-year-old man drowned while swimming with his daughter at Ezekiel Pond.

PLYMOUTH — Authorities say a 48-year-old man drowned while swimming with his daughter in a pond in Plymouth.

Officials say the man was swimming with his daughter at Ezekiel Pond Wednesday evening when he told her he was getting tired.

His daughter swam back to shore for help and the man went underwater.

WBZ-TV reports rescuers performed CPR, but they were unable to save him.

The man was taken to Jordan Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

A Housing Court judge has allowed a court-appointed receiver to place a lien on the property to recover its costs for maintaining the site the past 3 years.

SPRINGFIELD – A historic building at 25-27 Elliot St., remains boarded since a fire in January of 2008, but Historical Commission Chairman Ralph Slate said this week he is not giving up on the site being preserved.

Slate said that barring some proof that the site is completely beyond repair, he is willing to wait and let stand two separate decisions by the commission that prohibit demolition of the site.

“I definitely understand it’s a challenging property,” Slate said. “And there are no funds right now (for rehabilitation). But as long as it is not a threat to public safety, I don’t see a problem being boarded up for four years.”

Given its historic importance, Slate says he wants to keep open the chance of future funding sources. The duplex was built in 1872 and abuts the federal courthouse on State Street, and is owned by Angela Dennis of Springfield. It is located in the Armory Quadrangle Historic District.

In the meantime, Housing Court Judge Robert G. Fields ruled last month that the New England Farm Workers Council is authorized to place a lien on the property for $36,168 to recover its costs for maintaining the property the past three years as the court-appointed receiver. The costs include securing the roof, legal costs, architectural services and monthly inspections.

Dennis Powers, who represents the Farm Workers Council, said he expects a court hearing will be scheduled soon to review the case, declining additional comment.

Glenn Goodman, a Springfield lawyer representing Long Wharf Financial, a company that provided a loan for the property, said “a lot of things are up in the air.”

“We are looking at all options,” Goodman said.

The “enormity” of costs needed to renovate the property, and its location near the courthouse are among the factors being looked at by the owner and Long Wharf, he said.

Dennis’ lawyer, Maurice C. Powe of Springfield, could not be reached for comment.

In March, Powe said that an effort by Dennis to sell the property in the preceding months had been unsuccessful, and future plans were uncertain.

Dennis has sought to take back control of her property from the receiver in the past, but her requests were denied by Fields.

In 2009, local architect Stephen Jablonski, aided by a structural engineer and professional cost consultant, estimated it would cost $1.5 million to $2 million to renovate the building for a first floor restaurant with either commercial or residential uses on the above floors.